10 Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments of Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease

2. Causes: Spreading the Virus

The virus is contagious and can spread by person-to-person contact such as coughing or sneezing into the air. Fluid from blisters, saliva, stool, nasal secretions, or throat discharge can also spread the virus. You can also catch the disease from touching a surface or object that has been contaminated by the virus such as a toy, doorknob, or table. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is common in daycare settings or other childcare situations because of potty training attempts or frequent diaper changing. Children often then put their hands in their mouths without washing them first.
Adults can spread the virus even if they do not have any symptoms of hand-foot-and-mouth disease. Children are contagious during the first week. Even after the symptoms are gone, the virus can stay in the body and still infect others.

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